SUPERVISORS TO TIGHTEN LAW ON RAISING ROOSTERS

San Diego County’s supervisors are looking to have the last crow in a law aimed at ending the practice of raising roosters for cockfighting, which is illegal in the region.

Next week, the supervisors are expected to approve tightening an ordinance that limits the number of roosters raised to a maximum of 20, depending on property size.

Since the ordinance was enacted in 2011, a handful of people have claimed they can raise as many roosters as they want under the auspices of a National FFA Organization or 4-H Club project.

In some instances, rooster owners said their children or grandchildren were raising the birds as part of a farm project, according to Supervisor Dianne Jacob.

In response, the county plans to require that anyone citing such an exemption must submit a plan to their organization detailing the project’s specific purpose and the number of roosters.

And in the case of a 4-H project, that plan also must be submitted to the county 4-H adviser for approval.

“We needed to plug this loophole while making sure we still honor legitimate FFA and 4-H projects,” said Jacob, whose East County district is home to at least two properties where large numbers of roosters are kept.

The amended law would also empower a sheriff’s deputy or animal-control officer to inspect private property if there is sufficient cause to believe someone is raising roosters illegally.

The inspection provision is being proposed after county officials were rebuffed from legally entering a property where it suspected that roosters were being raised for cockfighting.

“This is another loophole that needed beefing up to meet the intent of the original ordinance,” Jacob said.

County residents can keep one rooster on a property that’s a half-acre or smaller, while up to 20 roosters are allowed on properties larger than five acres.